1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of information storage and retrieval. More particularly it relates to the field of rapid random access storage and retrieval of information, at least one element of which is not easily susceptible to quantitative description. Still more particularly it relates to a method and apparatus for storing and accessing difficult to quantify information and corresponding unique identifier elements in a neural network or simulated neural network computer processing environment. Still more particularly it relates to a method and apparatus for providing automated pattern recognition of certain types of image and analog data. Still more particularly it provides a method and apparatus for storing and retrieving information based upon variable and incomplete human facial image derived information.
2. Description of Related Art
As used herein, collections of information elements form information sets. Distinguishable or distinct information elements are different to the extent that they can be recognized as different from the other information elements in an information set. In order to apply automatic data processing techniques to determine whether an element of an information set is similar or identical to another element of such a set, it is necessary that the characteristics that differentiate the elements of such a set be invariant for each distinct element and communicable to the automatic data processing equipment. Generally, this problem is solved by quantifying the distinguishing characteristics of the elements of the set and sorting or comparing based upon such quantified characteristics.